Easy Tailgate Food & Whiskey: The Must-Haves

Get your easy tailgate food and whiskey pairings right here! It’s finally Fall, and we’re in the “throws” of football season. We know that the eats and drinks you’re serving up and enjoying are nearly as important as your team’s win. Okay, so they’re equally more important.

We’ve enjoyed chatting with @dadsdrinkingbourbon on this one. Dads Drinking Bourbon is made up of two dads, John Edwards and Zeke Baker, who trade in their kids’ bottles for whiskey bottles after bedtime. These guys are striving to make you #rethinkhowyoudrink. Follow them now! And check out their podcast, which may be found on all your favorite podcast providers: Apple, Google Play, Stitcher, Podknife, iHeartRadio, Spotify, YouTube, and more. You can always find it directly by visiting their official website.

Everyone’s sure to dig this easy tailgate food

It’s that time of year when the sun sets a little earlier, the temps start cooling down, and the leaves shift to vibrant yellows and oranges. Here in the U.S., tens of thousands of fans gather in parking lots every Saturday and Sunday to cheer on their favorite teams. And everyone knows we all cheer better on a full stomach.

The Dads are here to help us out! They’re hooking us all up with some delicious recipes that will make us winners in the parking lot.

Dad’s Sirloin Kabobs

You may think there are a lot of different ingredients here. Probably because there are! But these kabobs are worth the effort. Just like your favorite bourbon, they bring plenty of flavors that will complement the drinks that you’re enjoying. (We’ll talk about those in a bit.)

Dad’s Sirloin Kabobs

Ingredients:

● 1 jar of minced garlic

● 1 green pepper

● ½ bottle of soy sauce

● 1 onion

● ½ bottle of BBQ sauce

● 1 red pepper

● 1 bottle of teriyaki sauce

● Cinnamon to taste

● Nutmeg to taste

● 1 Beer (Light will do fine, but if you want to spice it up, throw in an IPA.)

Dad’s BBQ Dry Rub Burgers

Your easy tailgate food setup most likely includes a grill. And we’re saying that your grill should have burgers on it! Burgers or bust, y’all.

Dad’s BBQ Dry Rub Burgers

Ingredients:

● Steak rub (The Dads use Martin’s BBQ/Nashville; they also like Iron Works/Texas.)

● BBQ sauce

● Ground beef

● Cheese slices (The Dads recommend cheddar, but go with what you like.)

● Bourbon (Evan Williams Green Label at 80 proof will do. You just want the flavor.)

Mix a little bourbon and BBQ sauce together. Shape the ground beef into burgers. Rub both sides of the beef with the dry rub. With your thumb, make an indentation on the top of the burger, and pour just enough BBQ sauce/bourbon mix into the indentation so that it covers it up. You want the mixture to cook in and flavor the burger.

Cook to the desired temperature. With thirty seconds to one minute left on your burgers, put the cheese on so that it melts just right. Pop the buns on the grill for a little char and crunch as well.

Note: Scale to the number of burgers you need to make.

Easy Tailgate Food & Whiskey Pairings: Game Day Checklist

You’ve got to bring the right whiskey, kids. And sorry not sorry: you can’t bring just one. There are just too many different mashbills out there and so many amazing types of whiskey available! A good host is ready to cater to all sorts of guests and their palates. The Dads’ best advice is:

“Don’t go crazy. Bring three that shouldn’t be too hard to find. With this trio, you know you’ll quench the thirst of all your fellow tailgaters.”

FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL STORE PICK

The Dads say:

“This one is key. This is the bottle that lets your guests know that you went the extra mile. You don’t necessarily have to bring out those highly-allocated Pappy or BTAC releases to show you’re classy.”

They further note:

“We’re not just talking about a regular Single Barrel here. Find a store that went to Four Roses and selected a barrel for themselves. These are all proofed over 100, and the mashbill will follow one of the ten recipes that Four Roses offers. Be informed as to what you like before you go, though. Anything you see that starts with OB is their high-rye mashbill and has 35% rye, as opposed to 20% rye with their OE mashes.”

Aye, aye, tailgate captains!

Four Roses Single Barrel coming at you. [Photo cred: @dadsdrinkingbourbon]

ELIJAH CRAIG SMALL BATCH

The Dads agree:

“Coming in at 94-proof, this is an easy sipper that is great for those who want something light and refreshing with their meal. At $30, it won’t break the bank either! The mashbill of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley is versatile and should pair well with any easy tailgate food you have at your pre-game parties.”

PINHOOK RYE “BOURBON N RYE”

Here’s the Dads’ final pick:

“Pinhook’s rye release is a light and refreshing rye with just enough mouth-tingle to keep your guests happy, especially if they like something a little spicier. At $35, it will keep your wallet happy, too. The allocation should be available (at least for much of the South). Expect their new rye, due out in October 2018, to be on your shelves soon!”

We’re looking at you, Pinhook. [Photo cred: @dadsdrinkingbourbon]

Easy Tailgate Cocktail Ideas

Here’s the Dads’ pro tip:

“Bring some ginger beer and lime juice for those who want a Kentucky Mule. It’s a quick and easy cocktail to make that might take the sting out of the drinks that your tailgaters may not enjoy neat.”

Be a Tailgate Champion

We hope these easy tailgate food recipes, whiskey must-haves, and cocktail ideas are just what you need for the best parties of the season. Before you head out, pop over to our Prestige Decanters shop, and behold our Perpetual Fantasy Football Trophy Decanter. You know your fantasy league champion deserves this next-level decanter!

Once again, don’t forget to follow Dads Drinking Bourbon on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. They’re all about bringing you the real scoop on the whiskey that’s worth your time and dollars. Their blind tastings and side-by-side reviews remove brand bias to bring you an honest take on what’s out there. They also sit down with people in the whiskey industry to offer you a glimpse into their world and thought processes.

All right, Prestige community. We know you’ve got more tailgate-perfect recipes and whiskey recs, so leave them in the comments below. Go, team!

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